It has no soy, phenenaline, or aspertame. It's just milk, cocoa and fructose (fruit sugar which I am A ok with).

I heard ketosis is bad for babies but 5 shakes is 100grams of carbs which is not suppose to put you in ketosis. I believe its 20grams.

I heard you are suppose to eat 500 extra calories.. but what if you are severely morbidly obese? My resting metabolic level is about 1000 (sadly). It's important for morbidly obese women to not gain much weight and many even lose.

Then they say it doesn't have enough nutrients.. well it has a 1/5th of a vitamin per shake. PLUS one takes a prenatal, omegas, d3 etc so obviously you are getting your nutrition.

then I checked Vit A levels which is 1k per shake. So 5k max. My prenatal doesn't have any A. The GRescue site says you can have 8k-10k of vit A but no more so that should be fine.

I must admit I am arguing for it as I am HAPPY on it and am really looking for support or alternative ideas. I know I would end up eating less calories or the wrong ones if not on this diet... I also know fat=inflammation and inflammation=damaged fetuses. I ate healthy "real" (although this is real also) foods the last time I was pregnant (weighed 9 pounds more) and my kid came out severely handicapped and I'm pretty sure inflammation was a main culprit. I am not willing to do that to another child. And I'm sure I ate one carrot a day as I had severe naesea the entire pregnancy so this would actually ensure I get my calories in. I suppose people without my baggage wouldn't understand how terrified a person can be of harmed fetuses unless you've been in my shoes. For me I'm not dieting to look hot.. I'm doing it to reduce inflammation. That's my main goal. To have a healthy body and quite frankly no other diet has ever worked for me and I am very happy on this one. I have never felt this healthy in decades. :/ I will ask my RE also

Folic acid would be my biggest concern (folate deficiency is a major cause of spinal and brain related birth defects).

Prenatal vitamins contain folic acid, but I wouldn't think that it could entirely replace the need to get folates and other nutruents from actual fruits and vegetables.

There are a lot of nutrients we don't fully understand, some of which probably haven't even been discovered yet.

Meal replacements and dietary supplements like Optifast shakes and vitamin pills contain only the nutrients we know about, so eating as wide a variety of foods as possible (within your doctor-approved calorie limit) is a much better strategy, because it gives you a better chance of getting everything you need.

It isn't what's in Optifast that's the problem for pregnancy, it's what isn't in it.

Also, this really isn't the best place to get your question adequately answered considering you can't guarantee that any of us know what we're talking about. You need to get the opinion of actual experts such as your ob/gyn and possibly a prenatal dietician.

Who says you can't drink Optifast while pregnant? The makers? Then I would imagine they have research to back that recommendation. Your doctor? Then I would follow your physician's advice. It seems you are seeking justification for this choice, which is a decision you need to make with your medical team. After all, wouldn't following their guidance be the best way to ensure a healthy baby?